Polarization On Display At Cuba Forums

September 28, 2003|By Madeline BarM-s Diaz Miami Bureau

From afar, Miami seems like a place where there is little disagreement over United States policy on Cuba -- it is as intransigent as the views of the hard-line Cuban exiles toward the island's communist government.

But a closer examination of the city reveals that even in the Cuban-American community, people are softening their stance on Cuba. For sure, recent polls suggest that most Cuban-Americans support politicians who back current policy toward Cuba and the four-decade U.S. embargo of the island. But many are willing to listen to other views, something unheard-of only a decade ago.

In that spirit, two separate conferences on Cuba will take place Saturday at the historic Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables.

The Florida National Summit on Cuba, organized by the World Policy Institute's Cuba Project and Cuban-Americans who oppose the U.S. embargo, will feature former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, whom analysts think will suggest a different approach to relations with Cuba.

The second conference, arranged by the University of Miami's Institute for Cuban and Cuban-American Studies, features Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Roger Noriega, who is expected to make a major announcement about U.S. policy toward Cuba.

"What's most interesting is that these two conferences are occurring at the same time, in the same venue, in the same city," said Damian Fernandez, director of the Cuban Research Institute at Florida International University, who is not participating in either event. "Although you welcome that attention on Cuba, it also is emblematic of the polarization of both sides."

The Biltmore was the site of another anti-embargo conference in March 2002, touted as historic by its organizers because it took place in the heart of the Cuban exile community.

. Those who have long supported dialogue with the Cuban government and a relaxing of U.S. policy toward Cuba said they finally could have their opinions heard.

Like the 2002 conference, participants in this year's summit include activists, public officials and scholars who will discuss the effect of U.S. policy toward Cuba and changing views on the policy. U.S. Rep. William Delahunt, D-Mass. and U.S. Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., who have led the effort in Congress to ease restrictions on travel and trade, will again be featured speakers. But the main attraction will be Gorbachev, who set in motion the events that led to the breakup of the Soviet Union.

"President Gorbachev had a longstanding interest in Cuba," said Lissa Weinmann, director of the Cuba Project at the New York-based World Policy Institute. "He has a lot of experience working with the Cuban government. It's undeniable he brings historic perspective about change that will be very informative for our Miami audience."

The lesson for Cuba's eventual transition is that Gorbachev brought about the changes in the Soviet Union by opening up society, said Alfredo Duran, secretary of the Cuban Committee for Democracy, one of the organizers of the summit.

"I think that experience is invaluable for the Cuban Americans to learn from, that what brought about the change was openness," Duran said.

Jaime Suchlicki, director of the Institute for Cuban and Cuban-American studies, said he thinks Gorbachev would like to see the embargo eased. But Suchlicki notes that Castro criticized Gorbachev for his reforms a decade ago.

"Fidel Castro never paid attention to him and criticized him for changing," Suchlicki said. "His relationship with Cuba has not been good."

The University of Miami's seminar, which will examine both the current situation in Cuba and the embargo, has been in the works for months. But the date was chosen so it could counter the other conference, Suchlicki said. While the National Summit will be focused on alternatives to the embargo, the university's event will include people who are on all sides of the embargo debate, Suchlicki said.

"I wanted to represent a balanced point of view," he said.

Part of that will be giving the Bush administration its say. Noriega is set to announce new initiatives in U.S. policy toward Cuba, said Suchlicki.

Organizers of the National Summit say they welcome the university's event.

"We now believe that the Cuban-American community has matured a great deal," Duran said. "We think it's the right time to have a serious analysis of the Cuba issue."

Madeline BarM-s Diaz can be reached at mbaro@sun-sentinel.com or 305-810-5007.